Common mistakes
Un autre, l’autre, d’autres: five French choices to get right
Choose another item or the other one with un autre, l’autre, d’autres and les autres. Five fixes, illustrated object cards and a four-question check.
- B1
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In short
Un autre / une autre introduces another item; l’autre selects an identifiable other one. In the plural, d’autres means other or additional items, while les autres means the remaining members of a known group. The spelling autre is the same for masculine and feminine singular nouns.
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Four nouns to keep in mind
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Un autre, l’autre or d’autres: which one do you need?
- une autreun autre tasseanother one, referring to a feminine noun
Cette tasse est fêlée. J’en voudrais une autre.This cup is cracked. I’d like another one.
Keep the article feminine when the noun disappears: une tasse → une autre. With un stylo, choose un autre.
- l’autrealways any additional onethe other one that the listener can identify
Il reste deux sacs. L’un est bleu ; l’autre est vert.There are two bags left. One is blue; the other is green.
The pair makes the second bag identifiable. For an unspecified extra bag, say un autre sac.
- d’autresdes autres sacs for “some other bags”other or additional ones
Ces sacs sont trop petits. Vous en avez d’autres ?These bags are too small. Do you have any others?
The ordinary indefinite plural is d’autres: d’autres sacs, d’autres tasses. It also works in an affirmative sentence.
- les autresjust a few extra onesthe remaining ones in the group
J’ai lavé deux tasses. Les autres sont encore sales.I washed two cups. The others are still dirty.
The speaker is talking about the remaining cups in the relevant group. D’autres sont sales would pick out other cups, leaving the full remainder unstated.
- des autresanother spelling of indefinite d’autresde + les autres
La couleur des autres sacs me plaît davantage.I prefer the colour of the other bags.
Here des joins de and les: the colour of the other bags. Compare Je cherche d’autres sacs: I am looking for other bags.
Can you say un l’autre in French?
| Singular | Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| une autre idée | d’autres idées | another idea / other ideas |
| mon autre idée | mes autres idées | my other idea / ideas |
| cette autre idée | ces autres idées | this other idea / these other ideas |
Say mon autre idée: the possessive takes the form mon before a feminine word beginning with a vowel. Autre stays singular here; plural autres takes -s. The choice of mon belongs to the vowel pattern, while idée remains feminine.